New chromosome counts, karyotype analyses and asymmetry indices in some taxa of genus Senecio L. and related genera Tephroseris (Rchb.) Rchb. and Turanecio Hamzaoğlu belong to tribe Senecioneae (Asteraceae) from Turkey

In this study, the somatic chromosome numbers and karyotype analyses were determined for nine taxa that belong to three different genera of Senecioneae tribe. The studied taxa are; Seneciotauricolus V.A.Matthews, Senecioracemosus (M.Bieb.) DC., Seneciopaludosus L., Seneciotrapezuntinus Boiss., Senecioinops Boiss. & Balansa subsp. inops, Turanecio pandurifolius (K.Koch) Hamzaoğlu, Turaneciohypochionaeus (Boiss.) Hamzaoğlu, Turanecioeriospermus (DC.) Hamzaoğlu, Tephroserisintegrifolia (L.) Holub. subsp. aurantiaca (Hoppe ex Willd.) B.Nord. S.tauricolus, S. trapezuntinus, S. inops subsp. inops and T.hypochionaeus taxa are endemic to Turkey. The chromosomal variability in the tribe Senecioneae has observed the existence of four chromosome numbers: 2n = 38, 2n = 40, 2n = 46 and 2n = 80. The chromosome number 2n = 38 is a new record for Turanecio species. All taxa existed karyotypes measured by a set of median to submedian chromosomes and a smaller number of subterminal chromosome pairs. Also their karyotype asymmetry indices (TF %, As K %, Syi, Rec, A, A1 and A2) were calculated. The ideograms and detailed chromosome morphology measurements of the species were performed by the use of image analysis system (Bs200Pro). This is the first account of somatic chromosomes and karyotypes for the studied taxa except for S. paludosus. The research has contributed to the taxonomic revision of the tribe, Senecioneae, in Turkey.